Over 3 mn more electricity connections in Maharashtra by 2016

Mumbai, Jan 16 (IANS) In an ambitious plan, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) is set to provide a whopping 3.10 million new connections by 2016.

A proposal to this effect was approved by the state cabinet here Wednesday. The cabinet meeting was presided over by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

According to the proposal, the cost of this venture would be around Rs.6,500 crore, of which Rs.1,300 crore or 20 percent would be provided by the state government. The rest would be raised by MSEDCL, Chavan said, after the meeting.

Between 2013-2016, MSEDCL will provide new connections to 2.35 million domestic, 488,000 agriculture, 2,64,000 commercial and 58,200 industrial consumers.

Presently, MSEDCL provides electricity to a staggering nearly two crore consumers of different categories all over the state, except Mumbai.

The Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Tata Power distribute electicity in the state capital.

The new connections would include around 1.43 crore residential, 3.17 million agricultural, 1.37 million commercial and 363,000 industrial consumers, garnering an annual revenue of around Rs.34,000 crores.